Property of the Week: 23 Old Cathole Road South, Tolland

JAMES ALEXANDER

“It is in a wonderful location,” says Carolyn Maloney, speaking of the home she has decided to sell at 23 Old Cathole Road South in Tolland. “It is surrounded by woods. The woodland across the street with walking trails is owned by the town. If you’re an outdoors, nature person, it is really nice here.”

This home’s location becomes even more attractive when its proximity to the Storrs campus of the University of Connecticut is considered and, while it seems to be a world away from major roads, this raised ranch is just minutes from the intersection of Route 195 and I-84, making even a daily commute to Hartford quite practical. It is also within walking distance of several schools, including Tolland High School, and is close to shopping, restaurants and a host of additional services.

The floor plan is ideal for growing families. On the upper level, just an easy half flight of stairs up from the main entrance with its attractive and welcoming wood flooring, is the living room, made to feel more spacious by an opening to the dining area and modern kitchen. The living room features wall-to-wall carpeting. The kitchen and dining area have hardwood flooring.

Two bedrooms, each with generous closet space, a full bath and a master bedroom with another large closet and a private half bath complete this floor. All of the bedrooms have wall-to-wall carpeting.

Half a flight down from the main entrance is a separate laundry room and access to the garage. However, the highlight of this lower level is the large family room with a fireplace. It would be perfect for older children wishing to entertain their friends, for family activities or movie nights. This lower-level family room also features a sliding door with walk-out access to a new backyard patio and above-ground swimming pool that are ready to provide summertime fun for the entire family.

“The pool and filtration system were completely redone in 2013,” Carolyn says. “When we redid it, we added dual security doors.” These should help to discourage children from accessing the pool in the absence of adult supervision.

The rest of the backyard is also family-friendly. It is fully fenced and includes a separate kennel area and a large, relatively new and good looking outdoor storage building.

At the front of the home on the lower level is a second mudroom entrance. “This is great for when kids play outside in the snow and then come in,” she says. “You can leave all their wet jackets and boots here.”

For outdoor activities once the sun sets, the home includes ample outdoor lighting. “For summer parties, these lights are wicked bright,” says Carolyn. They were installed as part of some significant electrical work that was recently completed. Nearly all the interior lights are on dimmers, she adds.

Following an extended power outage several years ago, she purchased a generator and had a switch panel installed to allow for a safe hookup to the household’s wiring. The 8kW generator, which will be included in the sale, is able to power the oil-fired boiler to ensure whole-house comfort during power outages in cold weather, supply hot water, keep the well pump functioning and provide electricity to the kitchen and living room. Since that outage, there have been few power failures and the generator has seen little use, but it is ready to serve when needed.

Also newly redone or upgraded have been the roof, driveway, heating system and water treatment and filtration systems. “The thermal windows are also new,” notes Donald Maloney, the realtor who is handling the sale for his daughter.

“We recently insulated the attic and the garage ceiling,” Carolyn adds. “This has made a huge difference,” making the home more comfortable while cutting heating bills.

“The yard is an acre, but it is flat and easy to mow and take care of,” she says. It is also attractive to wildlife and Carolyn frequently sees owls, bluebirds, turkeys, deer, chipmunks and, occasionally, foxes.

Even the name of the street, Old Cathole Road South, is rooted in nature and history. According to Kathy Bach, president of the town’s historical society, the name comes from an old farmer’s story of an area cat that dug out a suitable opening in a stone wall along the road and took up residence in the resulting “cat hole.”

Few homes in this price range offer this combination of a highly desirable location, recently renewed or upgraded major systems including the driveway with a turnaround, heating and water supply systems, relatively new roof with ridge vents, newer pool and patio, a security system and a generator in the event of a power failure.

The new buyer need not even search out appliances. The home comes with a dishwasher, oven and range, refrigerator, washer and dryer. All the next buyer needs to do is move in and supply the personal touches that transform a house into a home.

23 Old Cathole Road South

Tolland

Year built: 1974

Price: $214,900

Rooms: 6

Bedrooms: 3

Baths: 1.5

Square footage: 1,184

Acreage: 0.99 acres

Mile rate: 33.36 mills

Best feature: Everything has been updated in this home surrounded by nature